Never Say Never
by Twin-Lupus
Summary: She never did things like this.


**This is inspired by a prompt I saw circulating on tumblr and decided to have some fun with it. This is crossposted on my tumblr (fabulousanima) if anyone would prefer to view it there. Enjoy!**

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><p>She never did things like this.<p>

Maka Albarn never went on blind dates, and yet here she was, across the table from a man she had never met before tonight. She would never have agreed to this, because really, it was so silly to assume she might fall in love with someone one of her friends just happened to work with who just happened to be single, but Liz had insisted, saying Maka had been alone long enough, and this guy wasn't bad looking, and why won't she just give it a chance?

Liz had worn her down, reassuring her that, _yes,_ everyone who worked at Shinigami and Son's law firm went through multiple background checks, and, _yes,_ if Maka agreed to go on one date with him, Liz would never ask again so long as she lived, and so here she was.

Maka never went on blind dates, so she had no frame of reference as to whether all blind dates were this painfully awkward or whether it was only because she had slept with their waiter the night before.

She suspected this date would have gone poorly no matter what, but it was difficult to say, because they had only just sat down and begun the small talk aspect of the date ("It's so nice to finally meet you!" "Liz has told me wonderful things.") when the waiter had come by studying his small notepad, saying "Hi folks, my name is-" and stopping dead when he made eye contact with Maka.

She went stiff as the waiter gaped at her, pen frozen comically over the paper as the seconds stretched on between them. Just as her date began to look at her quizzically, the waiter coughed and finished with, "Uh, hi there, my name is Soul and I'll be serving you tonight."

Soul, a name she already knew. "Thanks," Maka said, forcing her eyes to look down at the menu, even though the letters were all gibberish now. Did patrons often thank their servers before they had done anything? She was doomed.

"Is there anything I can get you to drink while you look at the menu?"

"Perhaps we'll order a bottle of something once we've decided what to order," her date said good-naturedly (oh god she'd already forgotten his name). "But I think we'd love to hear your specials!"

Soul blinked at him for a moment, entirely nonplussed, but Maka's knuckles tightened on her menu and he seemed to come back to himself. "Sure," he coughed, "well there's a crab cake special that has…"

As he rattled off the meals, Maka kept her eyes firmly on the list in front of her. Maka Albarn never had one night stands, but the proof against that was standing in front of her with his white dress shirt's sleeves rolled up his stupidly delicious forearms, prattling on about filet mignon or something.

There was a very slight possibility that she had been nervous about going on a blind date the next day, and there was a very slim chance that those feelings had led her to a small, darkened bar in a neighborhood she never frequented, and there was the smallest of probabilities that she had gotten rather drunk. She hadn't lost control, but she definitely had more than she usually did, and she might have let that sway her decision to chat with the handsome young man drinking alone in the corner.

Maka Albarn was never good at leaving well enough alone, especially when it came to sad people hiding in the shadows, and so she approached the man with the pale hair and the sharp teeth sipping at his beer forlornly.

"And what'll you have?" asked Soul, and Maka felt her ears burn.

"Ah, I'll have the first thing you said, that sounded great," she said, holding up her menu between them as she glanced across the table at her date.

"Excellent choice," said Soul, and he walked away, leaving Maka to flounder for something to say.

"So how do you spell your first name?" she asked, using the oldest trick in the book. "It's, er, rather unusual, and I-"

"It is!" said the young man, and Maka almost sighed with relief. "It's spelled H-I-R-O."

"That's it!" Maka cried, and the man smiled, not understanding she was referring to _what_ the name was rather than its spelling. "Hiro." She tried to make a mental note while Soul was not at the table sending her pulse into overdrive.

"So what do you do?" he asked, leaning forward slightly.

"Oh, I'm a doctorate student at Shibusen University." She tucked her hair behind her ears. "I'm studying literature of the 18th century-"

"Oh! You know, I took a class in college about legends and history from the 12th century, and it was pretty fascinating…"

Hiro launched into what seemed to be a very long story, and the things Maka had been about to say about her work died on her tongue. She pushed her hands between her thighs to warm her cold fingers and started nodding thoughtfully every few moments as Hiro kept talking.

"Here are your salads," said Soul, suddenly appearing with two bowls of greens in his hands. He set them down in front of them as Maka's spine straightened, leaning away from him. "Can I get you anything to drink?"

"I think I'd really like a gin and tonic," said Hiro. "It probably doesn't go with the meal, but I do enjoy-"

"And for you?" interrupted Soul, turning to her.

"Ah, probably wine," she said, fumbling for the drink menu.

"Sounds wonderful. Perhaps red? A merlot, ten years?"

Maka turned to face him slowly, a strained grin plastered on her face. That was precisely what she ordered last night, and judging by the mulish expression on his face, Soul was perfectly aware of that.

"Yes, that sounds lovely," she said, her voice carefully composed. "May I also ask where the bathroom is?"

He seemed to understand her meaning, because he turned away, saying, "Yes, follow me as I put the drink orders in and I'll show you."

"Excuse me," she said sweetly, slipping her napkin from her lap to her seat and nodding to Hiro. She followed Soul's retreating back as quickly as she could in her heels (why had she worn the damn things, she missed her boots).

The slope of his shoulders was slightly stooped, and it reminded her of something she teased him about last night, about how hunched over his drink he had been, about how his spine was going to contort and be stuck that way. And when he had said that didn't make any sense, she may have admitted to being a little tipsy.

It had been almost impressive, if she were the type to be impressed by these things, how quickly their conversation had gone from her poking at a slightly disgruntled man, to cheerful banter as if they were old friends, to making out in the dimly lit corner of the bar. Bar stools were not known for being particularly sturdy, yet she made herself quite comfortable in his lap as she stuck her tongue down his throat. Maka was never one for PDA, but it seemed she made exceptions for men in leather jackets with very sharp teeth.

But bar stools were not permanent places, and the bartender rapped his knuckles on the counter nearest them, and they surfaced for air. "Gotta head out, it's closing time," he said, not looking at them.

"Sorry, Joe," Soul had said, looking a little pink in the face and a lot sheepish. "Ah." He bit his lip, then met her gaze. "My place is nearby."

Maka had stared down at his swollen lips, trying to think through the alcohol and ignore the heat between her thighs. She ran a finger across his cheekbone and said, "Okay."

Somehow, they had made it to his apartment, kissing and fumbling with keys and groping and maneuvering stairs. As they stood in his hallway, her hands under his shirt and his lips on her neck, he had breathed into her skin, "Uh, I should just warn you that I've never done anything like this before. Like with someone I don't know."

This somehow made her want him more, and she kissed him harder.

Staring at his shoulders now, thinking about how well her nails had gotten to know them last night, made her stomach swoop and her palms itch. But she shook her head to clear her thoughts as he turned down a small hallway with two doors intricately lettered _Ladies_ and _Gentlemen_. He faced her, and she squared her shoulders.

"I know what you're doing," she hissed, pointing an accusatory finger in his face. "And you need to not do it."

"Do what?"

"There is no need to make this date any more awkward than it needs to be!"

Soul curled his lip, and Maka took a moment to take a deep breath through her nose. "Fine, but don't you feel even a little bit bad for lying to this guy and sneaking around behind his back?"

She was so shocked to be accused of cheating - she, Maka Albarn, daughter of the worst cheater in the history of mankind, and the most ardent decrier of the practice - that she could only stand stymied for a moment while Soul stared reproachfully down at her. When she finally found her voice again, it was louder than she'd meant for it to be.

"I'm not cheating!" she spat. Soul cut his hand across his throat, and she rolled her eyes, but lowered her voice. "I am not cheating," she said slowly. "This is a blind date, this is the first time I've met this guy!"

"Oh?" Soul looked slightly confused.

"Yes!" Maka seethed. "And don't make it weirder than it has to be!"

"If it's weird, why are you staying?"

"Because it would be weirder if I left! And I promised my friend. Just don't let him find out about…" Her eyes roved over his collar and she felt her heart sink. "What is _that_?" she asked, pointing to his neck.

He tried to glance down, but Maka smacked a hand to her forehead.

"It's a hickey! Why didn't you put coverup over it?"

Soul gave her an incredulous look. "I don't own makeup," he said.

"Well, button up the collar then!" Maka said, frustration evident in her voice.

"No one is gonna know how I _got_ it unless you keep yelling and pointing at it," said Soul, moving his free hand to cover his neck.

Maka rolled her head to stretch the tension out of her neck. "Okay, fine. Just- just- yeah." She turned on her heel and marched back to the table where Hiro sat, smiling serenely.

"Everything okay?" he asked pleasantly as she pulled the chair away from the table.

"Absolutely!" she said, a little too forcefully, but if Hiro found her behavior odd, he didn't comment.

The date continued uneventfully - which was unfortunate, because Maka grew antsy as she grew bored, and she didn't even get the chance to glare at Soul when the drinks came, because it was another waiter who delivered them - until their food arrived. This time, it was Soul who plunked the plates in front of them without much flair, but he didn't linger any longer than it took for him to bark out the word "Enjoy".

Maka held her fork over her meal as a sinking feeling swept over her. Two perfectly molded crab cakes sat on her plate. The only part Maka could imagine stomaching was the single piece of parsley placed artfully on top. Opposite her, Hiro was tucking into his meal happily.

She pushed some of the food around the plate, trying to pick out bits that were not shellfish, as Hiro talked about the work he did at Shinigami and Son. He gesticulated as he spoke, and she was sure a piece of food had flown into her hair as he was exuberantly discussing the most recent case he had been working on, but she smiled wanly and kept prodding her food.

"How are you enjoying your meals tonight?" came a low voice from over her shoulder.

Maka stood up so fast that both Hiro and Soul jumped. "I'd like to ask the chef a question about what cooking oil he uses," she said sweetly. "I have an allergy and I need to be sure."

Soul eyed her warily, but Hiro seemed to accept this and waved her off as she marched towards the kitchens, Soul close on her heels. They ducked down another hallway and she whirled on him.

"Did you do that on purpose?" she demanded.

"Do _what_ on purpose?"

"Give me seafood! I don't like it!"

He raised an eyebrow. "That's what you ordered. That was the first special I listed."

"It was?"

He frowned at her, and Maka felt her cheeks heat up as she looked away. "I guess… I wasn't paying attention."

Soul's hair was still messy despite his otherwise neat appearance, and she knew it was as soft as it looked. Had it really only been about twelve hours since she had brushed it gently out of his face as she watched him sleep? She could remember the small wisps falling back into his face, tickling his nose and causing him to wrinkle it in his sleep. She could remember the sunshine that made his hair glow between her fingertips.

She could remember the panic in her stomach as she stumbled into her heels and out of his apartment.

Shaking her head to clear the memories of his hair and her pounding heart, Maka got her bearings. "Fine, whatever. Just bring me some sort of soup, like the vegetarian option or something."

Soul rolled his eyes. "All right, whatever you say."

They tried to walk in opposite directions, but both tried to veer to the same side, and they smacked into each other.

"Hey, do you-"

"Excuse-!"

"Just go this-"

"If you could just-"

Finally, with red cheeks and muttered apologies, they managed to walk around the other and walk towards their respective destinations.

As Maka approached her table, she saw Hiro standing and patting his chin with his napkin. He smiled broadly as she drew closer. "Ah, I'm glad you're back in time! I've just received a call from one of our wealthiest clients. He's a rather eccentric, particular man with hundreds of very specific instructions for his estate, and I really have to attend to him. But it was a very enjoyable evening!" He stuck his hand out and her, and Maka shook it bemusedly. "I look forward to seeing you again soon!"

Maka slid into her seat, watching Hiro's retreating figure as he slipped into his coat and out the front doors. She tapped her fork against the plate with the crab cakes for a few minutes as she stared at the doors, trying to go over every moment of the date. Had she behaved normally? Did she give off weird vibes? Had he figured it out? Did he want to take her on another date? She didn't really care if she saw him again or not, but she did hope she hadn't hurt his feelings. She took another sip of wine as she replayed the evening in her head.

Soul appeared with a small bowl of soup in his hands. "Uh, where did your date go?"

"He said he got a work call," Maka said.

Soul's eyes roved over the table. "So he's not coming back?"

"No, I don't think so."

"So he left you with the bill?"

Maka's eyes snapped to the empty plate on the opposite side of the table. Her jaw dropped.

"He, uh, he ordered the second most expensive meal on the menu."

"_Fu-!_"

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><p>Maka sat at the restaurant's bar, twisting her third glass of merlot by the stem and watching the legs drip slowly into the rest of the wine. She had barely paid attention as Soul guided her over there, placing her bowl of soup at the bar and laying her coat over the seat next to her, and she had barely noticed when he leaned over towards the bartender and told him to put whatever she ordered on his tab. The toes of her stilettos clunked against the wood in front of her as she took a deep draught of her drink.<p>

"You're going to need a ride home," the bartender said. She glared at him. His face was scarred behind thick, round glasses, but he smiled pleasantly at her. "Or I'll need to cut you off after this one and keep you here until closing."

Maka wrinkled her nose as someone over her shoulder said, "Don't worry Frank, I got this."

The man named Frank shrugged good-naturedly and moved down the bar as Soul put Maka's jacket in his lap and sat down next to her.

"He is right, though," Soul said. "You can't drive yourself any time soon." He reached out and pulled something out of her hair, wincing.

Maka shuddered in disgust, then heaved a dramatic sigh. "I know," she said morosely. "This is just turning into a Whole Bottle kinda night."

Soul shifted slightly in his seat. "I'm sorry your date didn't go well," he said a bit awkwardly.

Maka waved her hand. "It's fine. It was doomed from the start. My friend's gonna be disappointed, but that's nothing new." She took another sip. "I've been single for so long, and she's been desperate to hook me up with someone."

"Heh." Soul glanced down at his hands. "Yeah, I know what that's like. My brother's on me all the time about that too."

"They'd make quite the matchmaking duo," Maka said.

They lapsed into silence. It wasn't quite comfortable, but it wasn't nearly as bad as she might have imagined.

"Um," Soul began, and she looked up. He took a deep breath. "Look. I'm sorry I was weird as I was serving you. That wasn't professional. I just, ah…" He looked across the room, arms resting on the bar and the back of the seat. His sleeves were still rolled up and the dim light of the room made the hairs glow a pale yellow. "I was pretty disappointed. I thought… I thought you were gonna stay this morning."

Maka felt something clench around her heart.

Soul let out an airy chuckle. "I was gonna make breakfast."

She swung her head to look at him, clutching the glass in her hand. "I…" It was her turn to take a deep breath. "Well, you said you'd never done anything like that before, right?" He nodded. "Well, there is a very definite possibility that I've never done anything like that myself. There is a good chance I panicked because of that." She looked up at the rows and rows of glass bottles, illuminated from behind and resembling oddly shaped Christmas lights. "I… I really enjoyed. What we did. And a big part of that was because you seemed like a genuinely good person. I didn't feel like you were taking advantage of me at all, and you seemed so nice… but when I woke up I got scared. I mean, I wasn't _that_ drunk last night, but what if I had been wrong about you? If you woke up and were a jerk, I'd regret everything. I didn't want to ruin something I'd enjoyed so I… just left." She put a hand to her temple and glanced over at him. "I guess that doesn't make much sense."

Soul was smiling softly. "Nah, I think it does actually." He stared into his water as they were quiet again. Finally, he said, "So, I may have screwed it up by being an ass tonight, but if you'll let me, I'd really like to prove I'm not a jerk." He glanced at her.

Maka felt her lips stretch into a grin. "Well, I've never tried dating a man I've already slept with," she said, turning her body to face him, their knees knocking lightly together, "but I think I'm willing to make an exception."


End file.
